Sectional metallic sole



(No Model.)

P. J. SULLIVAN.

SEGTIONAL METALLIC SOLE. No. 355,897. Patented-Jan. 11,1887.

N PETEns Phom-Lilm n her, Waihillglon, o. c,

'tical central sectional view on the line 00 x of Figs. 5 and, 6 are detached views of the shank TATES Fries,

SECTICNAL METALLIC SOLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 355,897, dated January 11, 1887.

Application filed August Ill, 1886.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PATRIoKJ. SULLIVAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ti mberville, in the county ofRockingham and State of Virginia, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Sectional Metallic Soles, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in soles for boots and shoes especially adapted to be worn by miners and all working people; and it consists of the peculiar construction and arrangement of the various parts for service, substantially as hereinafter fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

The object of my invention-is to provide an improved sole for the shoes of miners and all working people which will give or yield to their feet, and be durable and cheap, and which can be very easily and readily replaced at small cost when worn out, all as more fully described presently.

In the drawings hereto annexed, Figure 1 is a bottom plan view of a shoe with my improved sole applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a ver- Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a cross sectional'view through the shank on the line y g of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a detached perspective view of the sole, and

and heel.

Referring to the drawings, in which like letters of reference denote corresponding parts in-all the figures, A designates a sole for a shoe to be worn by miners, which consists of a number or series of sections, B, O, D, and E, though the number thereof can be varied as circumstances may require. The sections B, O, and D are disposed at the middle of the foot, and at the lines where they join each other are inclined, as shown, the front edge of the section D being cut 011 an inclined line in reverse direction to the angle or inclination of the lines joining the section 0 to the contiguous edges of the sections 13 D.

The general shape or contour of the sole of my invention conforms to the shape in outline of the sole of ordinary shoes-that is to say, the sides are curved and converged together slightly toward the toe, and the toe-section E of the sole is curved in the usual manner, as

clearly shown. These sections of the sole are Serial No. 212,322. (No model.)

formedof sheet or other metal for strength and durability, and they are loosely connected together at their approximate edges, so that they can move or flex freely in one direction, and thus give or yield to the bending ofthe wearers foot. The edges of the sections where they are connected together are bent to form the lap-joints H, one edge of one of the sections being turned upon itself to form the lip h, which lies very close to the bottom of the section, and the contiguous edge of the section that is connected with the lip It being bent upon itself to form the larger lip, h, the eX- treme edge of which takes in the space be-. tween the lip h and the body of the section, as will be very readily understood. It will thus be seen that the sections are very se curely locked together at their contiguous edges, while at the same time they can move or bend freely in one direction, and thus give to the bending of the wearers foot, thereby adapting the sole to be worn with great ease. The sections can be very readily renewed when worn by sliding them away from each other, so that the interlocking lips h h are disengaged from one another, and the Worn section can be replaced by a new section very easily by slipping its lip into the corresponding lip on the section to which it is to be connected.

The lower under side or working-surface of the sections of the sole are corrugated, as at t, and the sections are secured to the shoe-upper by any preferable meansas, for instance,

screws which pass through the side edges of the sole and into the upper. These sections are secured to the upper in such manner that they can bend or flex easily, as hereinbefore described, and I would have it understood that I do not intend to confine myself to any particular form of device for fastening them to the shoe-upper.

The corrugations or ribs on the workingsurface of the sole can be arranged in any preferred form or manneras, for instance, they may be arranged in inclined lines transversely across the working-surface of the sole, to prevent the sole from slipping uponthe surface with which it comes in contact. The shank I of the sole is also made in sections j, which are flexibly connected together at their contiguous edges by the lap-joint j. The heel K is also made of the metallic sections k, which are connected by the lap-joint 7c, and the under side of one of the sections is of the said heel, at the outer edge thereof, where the most wear is brought, is increased in thickness, as at 70 so that the heel will better withstand the wear.

The operation of my invention will be read ily understood from the foregoingdescription, taken in connection with the drawings.

It will be seen that I provide a flexible sole for shoes which is very simple and durable in construction, easily and readily applied, and cheap and inexpensive of manufacture. The sections canbc easily and readily disconnected when they are worn out, and replaced loy'new sections at a "cry trifling sum. The sole is not liable to slip on the surfaces with which it comes in contact, owing to the roughened under side thereof, and it. will yield or give to the wearers foot to insure comfort an d ease in walking.

Slight changes in the form and proportion .of parts can be made without departing. from tallic sole for shoes, consisting of two or more sections flexibly connected together at their contiguous edges by lap-joints, substantially as described.

2. As a new article of manufacture, a metallic sole for shoes, consisting of two or more contiguous edges by a lap-joint, the joint of 5' the shank-sections being arranged transversely of the joint of the sole-sections, substantially as described, for the purpose set forth.

4. As a new article of manufacture, a metallic sole provided with the heel-plate consisting of the sections connected at their contiguous edges by an intermediate lap-j oint, the outer heel-section having an integral enlargement at its side edge,substantially as described, for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signaturein presence of two witnesses.

PATRICK, J. SULLIVAN.

WVitncsses:

WM. N. Moonn, J OHN H. Srcenns'. 

